


Partnership

by delphia2000



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-16
Updated: 2009-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-03 03:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphia2000/pseuds/delphia2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU look at what could have happened with the Replicators.</p><p>Some disturbing talk of violent acts because the Replicators are evil!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partnership

It was a stroke of luck the dead planet they crashed into had an atmosphere. The air felt thin and chill, but not quite the nostril-slamming deep-freeze of Antarctica John well remembered. However, this place reeked and it was not from the burning Puddlejumper behind them. Most likely it was from a high sulfur content in the air. They staggered away from the wreck, the gap between their abandoned vehicle and their destination made relatively larger by their inability to adequately fill their lungs with oxygen. Rodney was strangely silent, and somewhat paler than usual, Sheppard noticed. Perhaps he was a little shocky. They don't crash ships all that often that it's become the norm. Teyla was paler still and had bled on Ronon's pants as he was half-carrying her along. She insisted she could manage on her own, but no one tells Ronon no. They stumbled over the rocky soil, slipping on flat, shale-like scree in their haste and John stayed close by Rodney's side, just in case he might need a hand.

He was in awe when they finally reached the downed ship. It looked like the bastard child of a Jumper and a Wraith Dart, its sleek lines making it slightly smaller than the Jumpers. "She's beautiful."

"She's dangerous," McKay countered.

"She's the only chance we have," Ronon put in as he helped Teyla steady herself, "I say we take it and run."

Sheppard placed a hand on the downed Replicator ship and focused on making the door open. It didn't take much effort before the door silently slid open. "I told you they'd use Ancient tech."

Rodney gave him a frown and flipped him off. "Fine," he grumbled as he followed his team leader into the ship's cockpit. "So they're predicable. But it could still be a trap. Or you might not be able to lift off. You shot it down, remember?"

"If anyone can fix it, you can," Sheppard said, slipping into the pilot's seat after dusting off a pile of disengaged Replicator chips.

Rodney glared him as he brushed aside an additional scattering of chips that littered the control panel in front of them. "Great move, going right to the suck-up."

"It's been effective in the past. Now we know our Disruptor wave is working at least," John said, flicking a dead chip at him.

"Watch that," Rodney complained, "You could take an eye out with one of those." Fussing with the power indicators in front of the seat he'd taken, he added, "I see only minor damage. There's no reason this ship should have grounded."

Sheppard fired up the engines. "Must have been pilot error, as in, no more pilot after he went through our wave."

"Then how could it have landed?" Teyla asked.

She sat on the floor, there being only two seats in the front of the ship. Head bent low, Ronon was digging into his pack, looking for medical supplies to tend her injured leg. There was not much cargo room in the little fighter ship. Sheppard shrugged and looked to Rodney for an answer.

"Not a clue. It's Replicator. Maybe it has a dead man switch that sends it to the nearest level surface."

"Everyone hold on," Sheppard ordered as he gently coaxed the ship upwards.

They cruised slowly past their wrecked Jumper as he tried out the controls. Unlike the Ancient ships, this one had controls in the armrests which moved slightly as he steered. Overhead someplace was the huge battlecruiser they'd need to avoid. "Rodney, can you find anything that looks like a sensor…"

A lighted sensor gird popped on in the front windshield. "You mean like that?" Rodney answered. "I didn't do that."

"I'm guessing the big red light must be the cruiser," Sheppard said, guiding them in a wide turn away from the Replicators. "Which means we fly low until we get a bit more planet between us."

"And then what?" Rodney asked grumpily.

Sheppard shrugged a bit and the ship responded with a little jump. Sensitive controls, he noted to himself. "We go home," he said.

Ronon spoke up before Rodney could. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"I like it better than staying here."

Rodney leapt in. "This is a Replicator ship! It's dangerous. You don't know if they've programmed it blow up or something."

"Well, once we get it home, you can check it over and tell us if that's likely to happen."

"I don't like it," McKay insisted. "It was too easy to get in, it's too easy to fly. We should take it someplace where there's a gate and gate home first and then come back with a team and some proper tools to examine it."

Sheppard shook his head as he glanced over his shoulder. "Too far to the next gate and it's out of our way. Teyla needs a doctor sooner than that."

Rodney looked around with some alarm, but Teyla smiled at him. "I am doing fine. It is not bad."

"It's bad enough," Dex said. "We shouldn't delay any more than we have to."

"That settles it," said Sheppard, "Rodney, I suggest you get busy figuring out the com controls. I don't want to get shot down before we explain who we are."

"Yes, that would be reason number five not to take this thing back to Atlantis."

"Rodney."

"Looking for communications…looking…looking. Ah, here."

A short burst of energy exploded in front of them.

Sheppard opened his mouth, but Rodney was in high gear. "Okay, that would not be communications, so this must be it."

There was a short cackle of static that confirmed his guess and he shot John a smug look before he opened his laptop and began to punch in numbers.

John thought about how nice it would be to open a hyperspace window that would get them home sooner and was not at all surprised when one shimmered into existence before them. He flew into it.

~*~*~*~

Zelenka was updating Col. Carter as they walked briskly to the control deck of Atlantis. "The voice print is a match; however the Replicators do have the technology to imitate anyone's voice. But then we checked the sensors and Atlantis recognizes Col. Sheppard by his genetic code. That, I do not think the Replicators could imitate."

"Do you think they could be compromised? Under Replicator control?" Sam asked him.

"It is possible. We would need a medical exam to be sure."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said as they reached the com desk. "Col. Sheppard, are you and your team okay?"

His answer was as clear as if he were in the next room. "Teyla is injured and needs medical pronto. Rest of us, just bumps and bruises."

"Excuse me," McKay's voice broke in. "I have a very painful laceration on my arm…"

Sheppard overrode the complaint, "and Rodney has a scratch on his arm. Otherwise, we're fine. The Puddlejumper is toast; not enough left to try to salvage under the Replicator's noses, but I think we made a fair trade."

"About that," Sam said, "I think you'd better land at the south bay. Just until we get a chance to check you all out."

"Fine," Sheppard answered, "but we'll need wheels for Teyla. I assume we'll be under guard. For the record, we were never in the control or presence of the Replicators at any time. Our Disruptor wave scattered the pilot of the ship before we took it."

"I'm sure Dr. Keller will clear you quickly then," Sam answered. "I'll debrief you in my office as soon as she releases you. South bay is cleared for docking," she added when the tech indicated it was ready.

"We're about 10 minutes out yet. See you on the flip side. Sheppard out."

"Watch it carefully," Sam ordered her team. "Dr. Zalenka, get the shield up if you see anything that causes you concern."

He nodded and turned to watch the instruments closely. Col. Carter was perfectly capable of reading the same things as he, but appreciated her willingness to delegate or perhaps, the appearance of delegating. It wasn't likely she'd go to her office until the ship was landed and the team was in sick bay.

~*~*~*~

After the medical exam that cleared all of them and a lengthy debrief with Carter, Sheppard came back to the south bay, drawn by curiosity about the strange new ship. He found McKay and Zelenka each armpit deep in the ship's workings, carrying on one of their half-spoken conversations where they finished the other's sentence with a completely new sentence that both understood, but no one else could. Zelenka was on the outside, under the nose of the vehicle while Rodney's feet were hanging out the door as he lay on the floor inside.

"How's that arm?" Sheppard asked Rodney.

"I'm working thru the pain. How's Teyla?"

"Stitched up, on painkillers and already milking it for all it's worth. She had Ronon fetching her something from the mess hall."

Rodney pulled his head out from under the console. "I could use something myself," he suggested, looking at Sheppard pointedly as he wiped his hands on a rag.

John, always prepared for just about anything, took a power bar from his chest pocket and tossed it at him. Rodney ripped into it immediately. "Not what I had in mind, but it will hold me. Zelenka, are you…"

"Yes, I'm sure and I think we should see if we can borrow…."

"I'll radio Dr. Keller."

"What?" John asked.

"Some bio equipment. We're pretty sure the ship is part organic. Need to find out just what we're looking at."

"Organic? Like, plant or animal?"

Rodney ignored him in favor of his conversation on his link, so Zelenka graciously popped his head out from under the ship to answer him. "Animal, we think. It appears to be controlled by what looks like a brain. Organ cells at the very least. It is too complex to be plant material."

John was a little appalled. "You're telling me that this thing is a…a…Frankenship? Like part human?"

Zelenka's head bobbed both yes and no. "Or part Wraith, which we think would be more likely. The Wraith brain would adapt well with their cellular ability to regenerate more easily."

"Why? Why would they do that?"

Zelenka shrugged. "Who knows? In the last hour, we have found out many interesting things about this ship, but we've created more questions than answers at this point. At least we are fairly certain that it will not self-destruct or attempt to destroy the city. For now."

"What about trying to let the Replicators know where it is?"

Rodney, finished with his conversation, answered, "Not a peep out of it that we can tell, although I did disconnect the com panel right away. Seems to be some kind of a weird restrictor loop that limits what it can do on its own. Which is why we think it could be Wraith cells since they'd be more likely to retain their desire to kill everyone and everything else in the galaxy and might turn on the pilot. Which reminds me…"

He tapped his link again and delivered some quick orders to one of his assistants, Rodney's Lab Rats as they were known. "I'm going to have Case and Miko look over the programming. They can check for any hidden orders to return or report in or self-destruct."

Surprised, Sheppard asked, "What, you aren't going to do it yourself?"

Rodney gave him a disgusted look as he swallowed the last of the power bar. "I'll check their work, of course, but my time is better spent looking over the physical workings of the interface."

Diving back under the interior console, McKay missed Zelenka's eyeroll and the low snicker Sheppard couldn't contain. The two scientists reminded him somewhat of Gleason and Carney from 'The Honeymooners." Seconds later, a tiny snap of energy by Zelenka's hand caused him to jump, smack his head on the ship's hull and spit out a string of indecipherable curses. Rodney's muffled voice called out, "Hold on, I'll ground that!"

"Brilliant," Zelenka commented before sticking a wounded finger in his mouth.

John beat a hasty retreat as he made a mental note to suggest to Carter that the Czech scientist should perhaps be getting hazard pay for working with McKay. And it occurred to him, with all the physical comedy, perhaps not the Honeymooners, but Laurel and Hardy.

~*~*~*~

"Your report on the Replicator ship, Dr. McKay?" Sam asked as she moved her computer screen to the appropriate page.

"Yes, well, it appears to be the Replicator version of our jumpers with some improvements. It's faster, more maneuverable, has hyperspace capability so it can go farther and will fit thru a Stargate. The organic brain tissue that functions as its main computer did turn out to be…ah, human; a male, with some genetic similarity to several of the various human populations that are scattered around the galaxy. As an experiment, we tapped into its speech center and did have some success, however all we got was pretty much insane babbling, which is understandable under the circumstances. We also tried releasing the restrictor loop we found on it and it tried to power up and go. Fortunately, we'd already disengaged the power and tied it down for good measure. There were no bombs or booby traps so it's pretty harmless, unless of course Sheppard is in the pilot's seat, in which case all bets are off."

He gave Sheppard a quick smirk. "Oh hardy har har," Sheppard retorted, then, "Sorry," to Sam's frown.

"So what are you saying, Rodney? Is this thing alive?" she asked.

"It's life Jim, but not as we know it…oh God, I've always wanted to say that! Sorry, just Star Trekkin, a bit there. Yes and no. It's alive in the most general sense, with some conscious thought, but it's clearly gone insane. Think of it as, maybe, the Village Idiot. The restrictor loop makes it do what it tells it to do."

Zelenka interrupted him, "I am very troubled by this. It was a human at some time. This is very wrong. We cannot keep it. We cannot free it other than to permit it to finally die fully. And we must stop the Replicators from continuing to make more of these…Frankenships, as Colonel Sheppard has called it."

The group was silent as they all pondered the ethical problem before them. Finally Sam spoke up. "Can the brain be replaced with a regular computer?"

Rodney shrugged, "Of course. Won't be as responsive to abstract situations as a human brain, but even so, mounted with our Replicator disruptor, it will be an improvement over the Jumpers and give us a better defense against the Frankenships."

"Then do it and find the gentlest way possible of releasing that poor soul. Teyla, could I ask you to take charge of making final arrangements for the human remains? Since he was from Pegasus, I think your rituals would be most appropriate."

"I would be most honored."

"Thank you. Tomorrow's meeting, I'd like to entertain any and all ideas about how we can stop the Replicators from using these kinds of ships. That will be all."

Teyla caught up with McKay in the hallway. "Rodney, would it be possible for you to connect to the human part of the ship in such a way that I could communicate with him? I would like to see if I can find out more about who he is and where he came from."

Rodney shrugged, "Well, yes, I think that can be arranged, but are you sure? I mean, he was pretty out of it and kind of, you know, upset. Screaming as a matter of fact."

"It is not hard to imagine how frightening it would be to have such things done to you."

"Yes, of course, understandable. I just wanted you to know what you were getting into. Shouldn't take long. Just minutes to hook it up. Is now good for you?"

"Certainly," said Teyla.

"Okay, good. Um, why don't you stop by and pick up Dr. Keller on your way to the bay. I'd like to ask her a few questions before we try to shut it, him, down. I think she might have a faster way than just disconnecting it from the power."

"That is very thoughtful of you, Rodney. We will meet you in the bay."

~*~*~*~

As Sheppard expected, Rodney came up with a virus, but it was actually, two viruses. One was technical, freeing the brain from the restrictor loop which would work instantly, letting the ships run amok. The second, slower virus would actually cause brain death. "The Replicators greatest strength is also their greatest weakness; they are all connected. What happens to one, will happen to all. So by giving one or a few a virus, they all react. Every organic substance has impurities, germs and viruses that are still present but dormant. This will allow any available germ to switch on and eventually cause death since the immune system isn't there to take over switching them off again. The program I've written contains an emergency protocol to update all the ships immediately."

"But you will need access to their system, correct?" Carter asked.

"We can do it from some distance so we don't actually have to land and hook up physically to their system. We have access through the systems onboard the 'Van Helsing'."

Sheppard cringed. "You named the ship 'Van Helsing'?"

Rodney looked smug. "Well, you'd already named them Frankenships, so we decided to name the ship after a famous mythic monster hunter."

"We?" Sam looked incredulous.

Rodney looked uncomfortable. "It was a unanimous decision."

"After you threatened to tamper with the plumbing," Zelenka muttered.

"Fine, whatever," John said with a dismissive hand wave and then an accusing point at Rodney. "But don't even think of referring to it as a Gateship since it's not a Frankenship anymore."

He could tell by Rodney's face that was exactly what he'd had in mind.

"I think it is a good name," Teyla offered. "We were not able to establish the name of the man whose brain was taken, but we think he may have come from a planet with which my people had traded in the past and they were mighty hunters. My people were honored to let his remains rest with our ancestors."

"Your song was very lovely, Teyla," Zelenka said. "I'm sure it was a comfort to him as he passed on."

She nodded in thanks and there was a moment of quiet at the very sobering thoughts of mortality. It was Carter who broke the silence. "So is everyone confident this plan will work? Any other than the obvious risks?"

"We have a backup plan," Sheppard offered. "Rodney's team was able to glean the likely location of their shipyards. It's pretty far from their home world since they needed a planet with more available raw ore, so it's relatively safer. We'll nuke the facilities. They might rebuild, but I think between the virus, the damage to the shipyards and a display of our modifications to the 'Van Helsing', it should be enough to discourage them from continuing. Either that or they'll modify their ships and keep making them, which is a possibility we'll have to consider."

"Sounds like a bridge we need to cross later," Sam said thoughtfully. "I think we need to try to stop this now and hope it works. Rodney, I'd like a plan B if you can come up with another angle?"

Rodney looked a bit smug. "Well, yes, I did have a few more thoughts. One 'Van Helsing' isn't that big a threat to them, but a fleet of Gate…I mean, modified Replicator ships could be a good deterrent. The Odyssey is due soon and if they came with us, we could use their Asgard beaming tech to beam in a few pilots to steal some ships right before we attack. Each one would be equipped with a flash drive holding a down and dirty re-write program that would let them take control of the ships and get them offline before we broadcast our virus program. We can put them in the Odyssey's bay to bring them safely back here to be properly modified."

Sheppard felt the adrenaline rush. Blowing things up was fun, but not nearly as much fun as stealing the enemy's weapons right out from under their noses. "We may need a distraction," he suggested.

"Well, I can't think of everything," Rodney complained, "Besides, isn't that something kinda military? Like your area?"

With everyone looking to him, Sheppard could only nod agreement. "You're right, Rodney, it is, but right now, I, um….I got nothing. However, since we have a few days before the Odyssey gets here, that gives me time to find something. I'm sure an opportunity will present itself and we'll just need to be ready to take advantage of it."

Carter picked up her files; a sure sign the meeting was over. "Col Sheppard, please work with Dr. Zelenka on finding that something while Dr. McKay makes sure the 'Van Helsing' is ready. Also choose a dozen of your best pilots and have them on standby to leave at a moment's notice once the Odyssey gets here. We'll meet again here in 24 hours for progress reports. Dismissed."

As they disbursed, Sheppard caught up with Rodney. "Gate ships again?"

"I suppose you have a better name?"

"I'm sure I will…as soon as I have time to think about it. I'm a little busy at the moment, Rodney. They need a proper name, not something leftover that doesn't quite fit."

"Leftover? Leftover?" Rodney suddenly checked himself and Sheppard realized he'd been smirking. "You're just trying to bait me. Well, here's some bait for you; one week's desserts says I come up with a better name than you do."

"I assume this excludes the lemon meringue pie?" John teased. "You're on. Three judges, one from your department, one from my men and the only person on Atlantis you don't dare try to intimidate…Col. Carter. Deal?"

"Deal."

They shook hands and Teyla rolled her eyes at Zalenka as they quietly followed the pair. Zalenka grinned. He knew one other person who Rodney didn't dare intimidate either and she worked in Botany. He was going to make sure she ended up being the science department judge even if he had to cheat.

~*~*~*~

In the end, a surprise Wraith offensive gave them the distraction they needed and was better than anything Sheppard could have planned. The Odyssey arrived the same day an off-world recon team made contact with a trader who had seen a large fleet of Wraith ships headed for the Replicator home world. Long range scanning showed a mighty battle taking place and they had made a run for the planet where the shipyard was located as soon as the pilot team was beamed aboard.

It hadn't gone easy, but it was worth the price they'd paid to take eleven of the ships before blowing up the shipyard. One of his pilots had died when his stolen ship was destroyed and another was in critical condition but had managed fly his damaged ship close enough to be scooped into the hanger bay by an amazing feat of flying while evading Replicator ships. As an added bonus, they had snatched away a large group of the penned humans slated for brain donation into future ships.

McKay wasted no time in checking the condition of the entities that inhabited the ships. Several had already been determined as traumatized enough to require sedation in preparation for humane release. One had been sane enough to ask for euthanasia, however, another from a more advanced world could better understand his circumstances and wished to remain alive, fighting the Replicators and Wraith in his new 'body.' The Odyssey's resident MD who had a secondary degree in psychology was talking to him to determine if this could be workable.

"We couldn't let him have full control over the ship. I mean, the pilot has to be in charge somehow. Rodney, could you make the restrictor just a little less restrictive, but keep some kind of override for the pilot?" Sheppard asked.

"Of course," he shrugged, "but technically, he could be the pilot all by himself. Save the need for a human body on board, taking up resources, needing oxy and supplies. Might be a good thing."

"He's not military," Sheppard said. "I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable with that unless I could ensure he'd take orders. I think we need to have some kind of safeguard system, just for backup. It's going to be up to Col. Carter whether or not she accepts him into her command, but if the doc says he's mentally fit, I'd like to be able to give him a chance."

Rodney nodded as he made notes into his handheld. "Yours is the last one I need to check. Want to give me a hand?"

He didn't wait for an answer, walking swiftly towards the ship, but Sheppard followed him anyway. There were times when Rodney didn't seem to be human, working beyond his physical limits and carefully checking his emotions, but John had no doubt that contact with these frightened, damaged minds had taken it's toll on the man. Rodney looked more than just tired to him.

As McKay hooked his computer into the ship, John said, "Why don't I try to talk to this one first?"

Rodney nodded. "Sure. Get ready."

Keying in the commands, Rodney pointed to him and Sheppard spoke, "Hello there. Um, we stole you, so you're safe from the Replicators now. Can you tell us your name?"

The vocal output on the computer made a few squeaking sounds as if trying out a new voice. McKay made a few adjustments and then said, "Okay, try again."

Before Sheppard could say anything, the mechanical voice said, "Dr. McKay? Is that you?"

Rodney nearly dropped the computer. "Oh God, it knows my name!" he squeaked, his eyes wide and face suddenly red with the effort to breath.

It could have been the fact that John hadn't eaten before the operation, but the feeling in his stomach was as sharp as if he'd lunched on shattered glass. This was someone they knew. One of their trading partners perhaps, or one of their own men, lost in some battle and presumed dead. The victim's plight was suddenly more personal, more immediate and it filled him with a red rage. "Who is this?" he asked.

"John? It's Elizabeth."

This time Rodney did drop the computer, disconnecting it from the ship and causing him to scramble to re-attach it. The red rage faded into something John couldn't understand immediately, other than the feeling of cut glass rubbing against some old wounds, awakening a pain he'd set aside. John sat down on the pilot's chair to get out of way while he listened to Rodney babbling, too numb to answer questions that didn't have answers anyway.

"Elizabeth?" Rodney asked as he reconnected. "Are you there?"

"Of course I am. What happened? I can't seem to move. Can you tell where I am?"

Rodney looked at Sheppard, but John was at a loss. How could he tell her what had happened? All this time, they'd been hoping to take her back from the Replicators, but this…this was hopeless. Who knew how long ago her mind had been separated from her body? And they certainly didn't have the technology to put her back in it, even if they could find it.

Rodney took over where he couldn't. "Look I'm not sure how to tell you this so I'm just going to say it. You're in a ship. Just you. Your mind. Actually, it's your brain that's been built into a new model of partly organic Replicator fighter ship. We captured one of them a couple of weeks ago and found out the Replicators were building more, so we came to bomb the shipyards and steal few more ships. I'm sorry Elizabeth. You're a ship now."

It was quiet for a few seconds and then she answered him, "Well. That explains a lot. But are you sure? I mean, I feel like I'm breathing and sometimes I can see and hear things…."

"You must be feeling the ship as if it were your body, replacing body functions for ship functions; like circulating mechanical fluids instead of blood or something. I've got you hooked into my computer which is over riding the restrictor so you can hear us. This restrictor loop on your engine…on you…it's how they controlled you. Let me take it off. Only take me a few minutes and then you can probably turn on cameras and speakers and stuff inside the cabin here, on your own. I'll have to disconnect my computer again and move it, but then you'll be free. Elizabeth…I'm sorry. We tried. We wanted to find you…."

"It's okay, Rodney. John. I know you would have tried even tho I told you not to."

John finally found his voice. "We failed."

"You found me now. Granted in a different condition than when I left, but that was to be expected. I couldn't have come back with those active nanites anyway, John. Which, by the way, Rodney, are they still active?"

"I don't know. We'll have to test your, um organic matter, but I'm pretty sure we can override their programming in this form anyway."

"Frankly, I'm not sure if that pleases me or not," Weir admitted. "Go ahead and shut down what you need to in order to rid me of that restrictor. I never liked girdles."

Rodney gave a weak laugh and said, "Shutting down now. Back in a minute."

He made John move outside the ship to have the room to work and Sheppard was grateful for a few minutes to compose himself before talking with Elizabeth again. He was awash in a tangle of emotions; rage at the Replicators, joy at freeing Elizabeth and anger at himself for failing her so completely. He considered calling the Colonel down from the bridge and then changed his mind. Maybe Elizabeth wasn't ready for it to be public that she was a ship now. Or maybe she would choose to…end…no. She'd never do that. Not Elizabeth. She'd go down fighting rather than deliberately give up.

"Colonel Sheppard?" The doctor approached him, old fashioned yellow note pad tucked under his arm. "It's just a preliminary report, but I think you have a new recruit."

"Good. We have another one for you to talk to, but this one is a different case."

~*~*~*~

Sheppard was practicing his 'bored-and-don't-care' slouch up against the Jumper bay wall as he watched McKay pace up and down outside the ship. He'd already burned off enough guilt this morning in his usual venting venue, the gym. Rodney, on the other hand, obviously took his own mental vent, staying up all night to find various options to offer Carter and Weir, depending on their mutual decision. That decision was taking a long time coming as Carter had been inside the ship for over an hour now.

Zelenka strolled in carrying two cups of coffee and John straightened up to accept the one held out to him. "How's it going?" Zelenka asked, stealing a sip from the other cup before handing it to Rodney who didn't notice.

John shrugged. "She's still in there talking to her. The new headshrinker, Dr. Allen was in there before her."

"I talked with her last night."

John looked at Zelenka and the man amended, "Not Dr. Allen. Elizabeth. She's…okay. I'm sure of it. As okay as one could be."

"Radek!" Rodney called, slopping the coffee a bit as he gestured with the wrong hand. "Come look at this."

They both went to look at the pad, gibberish to John, but it looked like it had elements of Ancient, Wraith and some Replicator for good measure. "You're kidding?" Zelenka asked Rodney.

"This doesn't have anything to do with blowing up stars or something, does it?" Sheppard asked.

"No," said Rodney glared at him. "It's an option."

Zelenka took the computer pad from him and studied it. "It's an option," he finally announced.

At John's quizzical look, Rodney said smugly, "It's a body for Elizabeth. An Ancient one, in a way."

"Replicator," Zelenka corrected.

"A little of both."

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about? That Ancient device that makes Replicators? How is this an option?"

Rodney looked frustrated for a second. "It's an option," he reaffirmed, "She wouldn't be a Replicator because it's a totally separate program. She's Elizabeth and she'd be free of the nanites so she couldn't fall under Replicator influence."

"We don't know the implications, the mental implications for doing this," Zelenka argued.

"I still think we need to offer it," Rodney said.

"Offer what?" asked Carter as she stuck her head out the door of the ship.

The three men turned and walked back closer to her. "It's a body," Rodney answered. "Using the Ancient Replicator device, we could build her a body for Dr. Weir and put her consciousness into it."

"But not any of her brain? Organic matter?"

"No," McKay admitted.

Sam nodded. "Okay, we'll offer it. Gentlemen, if you could come in?"

Zelenka left, knowing his opinion wasn't needed for the moment as the other two crowded in, Sheppard taking the co-pilot seat as Rodney made do with the floor. "Apparently Rodney has another offer for you, Elizabeth, before we discuss anything further," Carter started.

"Go ahead, Rodney," the ship's voice said.

She'd been able to tune the ship's vocal components into something that approximated her former physical tone which was both a comfort and vaguely disturbing at the same time for John. He could tell by the slight grimace that Rodney must be feeling something similar. "Well, it's a body. Sort of. We got the Ancient device that manufactures Replicators to work properly now and we could create a body just like your, ah, original one and put your consciousness into it."

"Just my consciousness? So I'd exist as a program?"

"More or less," Rodney admitted. "More in my very expert opinion, but if you are asking about your organic matter, that would have to be…discarded."

"I see," Elizabeth answered quietly.

"That would obviously present a new set of problems," Sam pointed out. "We would have to determine your status here in a very different way. I can't guarantee how Command would take that."

"Could the Replicators take over me again?" Weir asked.

Rodney shook his head. "No. Nothing of them would be transferred. Just you. Your organic matter still has the nanites because they are still supporting the organic brain cells, but those would stay with the brain."

Elizabeth was quiet for a bit before she said, "Then no thank you, Rodney, although I very much appreciate the offer. There's not much of me left, but what there is, I think I'd like to keep. And I really don't want the virtual headaches that would be created for all of us involved if I were an Artificial Intelligence. I think I can serve best in my present condition."

"Elizabeth, I don't know for sure, but you have to consider the possibility that these ships may have a limited lifespan. I mean, I don't know what kind of testing they went through before the Replicators decided to make more. It could something like a normal lifespan or years beyond or maybe even less time," Rodney admitted. "We just don't know."

"I'll take my chances," Elizabeth told him, "If we look at this rationally, I really died some time ago. This is all just a little bonus time and I'd like to make the best of it for Atlantis and for Earth. Colonel Carter has offered me the chance to do that in my present form and I think it's the best of a bad situation. How do you two feel about it? Can you work with me like this?"

"Of course we can, can't we?" asked Rodney, looking to John.

Sheppard could only answer in agreement. What else could he say? No, you are a constant reminder of my failure? You make me uncomfortable? I don't trust you?

"John," the ship asked, "Would you consider being my pilot?"

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't really even need one…"

"I do. I don't have the military mind that would make the best decisions in battle, John. I need someone I can trust; someone who will make the right decision, no matter the outcome. I need you at the helm. I know it's asking a lot, but I need you."

It was penance and duty and an honor all wrapped up in one. He owed it to his friend, his boss who'd stood by him when he'd been the outsider. "I'll be glad to, Elizabeth. What say we take a test run?"

John looked to both Rodney and then Sam. "She's in perfect shape and ready to go," Rodney said, "However, I've got a few other ships that don't have sentience needing refit, so I'm sorry I'll have to beg off."

John considered telling Rodney he wasn't invited anyway, but then Elizabeth spoke up, "I'll probably be a little shaky at first anyway, Rodney, and I know how you feel about flying. Maybe after I get my wings under me, so to speak, I could give you a ride?"

Even as a ship, she was ever the diplomat.

"Uh, sure. That would be good. We could do a picnic on the mainland for the team. I know Teyla is dying to talk with you once they let her out of the infirmary. And Ronon…he missed you too," Rodney told her. "I'll see you later then. I'll want a full report, Colonel Sheppard," and he scooted back to slide out the door and strode down the bay to yell at a couple of the engineers working on various ships.

"Great, since that's all settled, then I'll just go work on that report which General O'Neill is going to spit his coffee on when he gets it," Sam smiled a bit as she rose and left.

John slipped into the pilot's chair as Elizabeth powered up and said over the radio, "This is Weir, ready to depart Jumper Bay S1, test run with pilot Colonel Sheppard on board."

"Let's use the automatic lift-off system for starters," he suggested.

"Of course…I need a lot of practice moving around with this huge butt," Elizabeth agreed with a touch of mischief in her tone.

"Oh, fishing for compliments already? Fine, you're a sleek little number and your butt is in perfect proportion to the rest of you. Let's go, hot stuff."

They rose slowly as the overhead bay doors slid open to a beautiful blue sky.

~*~*~*~

Colonel Carter stood up from behind her desk, flanked by Major Lorne and Botanist Katie Brown as she announced the winner of the contest. "It's a tie," she declared. "The ships that do not have sentient computers on board are hereby christened Gateships. The 'Devon Kull' and the 'Elizabeth Weir' shall be known as Partnerships. To that end, I declare all winnings, to whit, the desserts of Colonel Sheppard and Rodney McKay for one week, to be the property of the judges. This meeting is dismissed. Major, Dr. Brown? Would you care to accompany me to the mess hall?"

"This is so not fair!" complained Sheppard as he watched the three, along with Zelenka, retreat to the cafeteria.

"I told you she was evil," Rodney nodded. "I just didn't suspect that Katie and Lorne had it in them. What people won't do for an extra slice of pie."

"Come on," Sheppard said glumly, "Let's go get some coffee. We can at least smell our desserts and make them feel guilty. Can you work up some tears?"

Rodney snorted, "No, but I can usually make anyone else cry without trying too hard."

They walked side by side along the corridor. "So," Sheppard said, "You finally got your Gateships."

Rodney shrugged. "I think you came out better. You've got quite a partnership there, John."

John smiled. It was going to be fine. The only thing better than flying was flying with a friend who loved flying too. "Yes, I do."

The End

**Author's Note:**

> This has some pale resemblance to a marvelous series of novels by Anne McCaffery, but wasn't a deliberate attempt to co-opt an idea. Just another example that there is nothing new under the sun. There is 'shipping' involved, in a way, but certainly not that het shipping stuff because I'm not a J/E shipper by any means. However, if people want to read it that way, I can't stop 'em.


End file.
